There's an interesting debate brewing with topical implications about the ownership of the pavement outside St James' church.
Local environmental group ADAPT want to install cycle racks there but there is divided opinion about this proposal and, indeed, about who owns the land – the Church or Cheshire East council?
At Monday's Audlem Parish Council, Celia Bloor addressed the councillors and sent the council the following letter:
I am writing as Chair of Audlem and District History Society, concerning claims made by one of the churchwardens that the Church owns the land outside the churchyard wall between the Chemist's shop and the buttermarket where ADAPT would like to erect cycle racks. (Letter read at PC meeting on Dec 1st 2014).
There is a letter written by Ursula Atkinson, widow of Arthur Atkinson in 1924 kept in the Cheshire Record Office. A copy can be viewed in the Archive section of the Audlem website (search for 'Atkinson' the relevant page is part 9).
Her husband when Vicar of Audlem purchased (personally) the houses which extended from the present Chemist's shop right up to the Buttermarket. These houses can be seen in old photographs also on the website. He wished to improve the aspect of the church and when all tenants had left they were demolished c.1886.
She states that 'he pulled down the whole block, and handed over the land on which they stood to the Parish-throwing part into the churchyard as "improvement", and the rest into the street'. The line of the churchyard before this may still be seen.
Alan Draper who deals with the church finances says that the land has never been listed as one of their assets.
I feel the phrase 'giving it to the Parish' clearly passes the ownership to either the Parish Council or Cheshire East. Please could you confirm which of these two bodies owns this space?
Yours sincerely
Celia Bloor
The photo shows some of the houses in front of St James' Church.
We at AudlemOnline are intrigued by this curious land ownership issue between Church and State that could well determine whether cycle racks are installed there or not.
This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.
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